Naida
05-09-09, 03:14
Needless to say I am anxious just writing this post...:scared15: But it started when I was a little girl. I would get pounding racing heart out of no where. I remember being tested a lot and told nothing was wrong...I grew up became a teenager, an adult-all fine. One day when my husband and I were signing papers for our first house, out of no where I got that pounding racing heartbeat again. I politely excused myself, but was freaking out inside, had some water and sat in the car and after a few minutes everything went back to normal. I never mentioned it to my hubby.
About 2 years later. While at work I was called into the office with other employess and given a 30 day notice we were being laid off. 2 weeks after that date, sitting at my desk I got that fast pounding heart rate again. This really scared me because the pounding went away, but the racing stayed. My husband came and took me to the emergency room. I had a few tests done and was sent home saying for my age (22) it was normal to happen every now and then. After that day, I tried to cope with it, but was completely frozen with fear. Just moving around the house was a chore for me. I wouldn't get up and move to go to the bathroom for fear my heart would race and I would die...It was a very bad time for me. I didn't leave the house, I was so messed up I wouldn't eat much, I was a wreck...In the meantime, I started going to the doctor who tested me using Holter Monitor, EKG, Echo, stress test and blood work (to check thyroid, etc) and eventually diagnosed me with Sinus Tachycardia. Hearing this was devastating to me, I feel that anything wrong with your heart is a big deal. Not only that, she prescribed me Atenolol 25mg once daily and said I had heart disease and if I didn't take it, I would die...That only made me worse. I have been a wreck since then.
I changed doctors who prescribed me Propranolol because the other med wasn't keeping my symptoms at bay. Not very long after seeing my first doctor (the one who said I will die) I developed severe anxiety...I would panic all the time, even being at home. I developed new habits: finding it very hard to sleep at night afraid I would die, keeping the tv on to help soothe me so I can have some light in the room and hear a little noise to lull me to sleep. Also, I started becoming agoraphobic-avoiding places where I've had pounding/racing heartbeats at...I stopped driving or going anywhere outside of the home for about 8-9 months. My life was completely on hold/stopped...My husband worked a full-time labor job, did the food shopping, cooked, cleaned. I was just another body in the house, I felt horrible to say the least...
Something inside me clicked and said, wait a minute I'm 23 what is wrong with me!! So I tried to do small things like go to the Post Office and come home. We had to drive to our mailbox at that time, so I drove to check the mail and came home. I tried a once to go to Walmart to get the groceries and had a meltdown there, but suprisingly I finished checking out and drove home. I didn't unload the groceries though, just the milk and eggs, lol. My hubby did it when he came home. But during that time of trying to get back out, places I freaked out at, I would eventually avoid-NO malls, large stores, definetly no Walmart and lastly I don't walk anywhere. My hubby drops me off at the door of whereever we go and sometimes picks me up. Because of the Tachycardia, I've come to also avoind anything that will raise my heartrate for fear I will die. Over the years I've led a very sedatary lifestyle...I avoided going out with friends or even having close friends. Though I'm very content being to myself and just having my husband around. It's not normal by a long shot, but has worked for the years. I've seen 3 cardiologists when living in Arizona, btw all to say my results are normal, just a fast heartrate at times.
Recently, this passed Monday I've had a Chiropractor appointment to go to. I had to drop my husband off and work and then travel an additional 30 minutes to the office. I didn't want to go, I don't like driving far at all. During the ride to drop hubby off, my heart started racing and it was skipping beats this time. I COMPLETLY PANICKED. We got to his job and I called 911. I was so embarassed, because it was at his job with a firetruck and ambulance. It was my decision to ride to the hospital, my heart skipped the whole time and I was anxious the whole time. I was hooked up and monitored for 4 1/2 hours, I had blood work done to determine if my heart was abnormal. Everything came back fine. My heart skipped the whole time while being monitored and I was told I was experiencing something called PVC, palpitations and it was normal, but to follow up with my doc anyway. Because I was so nervous about being in the ER, he also gave me 15 days of Xanax. Before this episode, I saw my cardiologist and had an holter monitor done for 24 hours-normal and also an Echo (normal). So when I came to followed up with my cardiologist-but didn't want to see him because I wanted a second opinion...He reviewed my records, my pressure was up like 134 over something-not too bad, but I felt different. He scheduled a stress test today. My target heartrate to get up to was supposed to be 162-BUT because I avoid strenous activity, exercise, white-coat symdrome, OBSESSED with my heart. I panicked all nite before the exam and when in the exam room, I freaked out and was only able to stay on the treadmill for 3 minutes getting my rate only up to 140-not enough for an accurate reading unfortunately. But there again my pressure was up 140/90 (I think). I definetly felt off and have been feeling like this all day even after the appointment. They upped my dosage of Propranolol from 20mg twice a day to 20mg in the morning and 40mg at night.
I feel very anxious about all this and I'm almost positive that's why my pressure is up. I DON"T like upping my meds, but if I have to...
Symptoms of anxiety that I've found on this site that I couldn't find anyone else to understand but here - feeling off balance quite often (thats why I don't like walking/exercising/standing for long periods of time), weak legs at times, becoming too aware of my breathing patterns, lightheaded, always nervous, overwhelmed at times, cold hands/feet, hot flashes, etc...My hang up-I AM COMPLETELY OBESESSED WITH MY HEART!! I always feel like I'm going to die.
Thank you for reading all this. I'm just so happy to find a place to relate to others!!
My question is where do I go from here! I so overwhelmed and want to get better and I'm exhausted...Physically and mentally......
About 2 years later. While at work I was called into the office with other employess and given a 30 day notice we were being laid off. 2 weeks after that date, sitting at my desk I got that fast pounding heart rate again. This really scared me because the pounding went away, but the racing stayed. My husband came and took me to the emergency room. I had a few tests done and was sent home saying for my age (22) it was normal to happen every now and then. After that day, I tried to cope with it, but was completely frozen with fear. Just moving around the house was a chore for me. I wouldn't get up and move to go to the bathroom for fear my heart would race and I would die...It was a very bad time for me. I didn't leave the house, I was so messed up I wouldn't eat much, I was a wreck...In the meantime, I started going to the doctor who tested me using Holter Monitor, EKG, Echo, stress test and blood work (to check thyroid, etc) and eventually diagnosed me with Sinus Tachycardia. Hearing this was devastating to me, I feel that anything wrong with your heart is a big deal. Not only that, she prescribed me Atenolol 25mg once daily and said I had heart disease and if I didn't take it, I would die...That only made me worse. I have been a wreck since then.
I changed doctors who prescribed me Propranolol because the other med wasn't keeping my symptoms at bay. Not very long after seeing my first doctor (the one who said I will die) I developed severe anxiety...I would panic all the time, even being at home. I developed new habits: finding it very hard to sleep at night afraid I would die, keeping the tv on to help soothe me so I can have some light in the room and hear a little noise to lull me to sleep. Also, I started becoming agoraphobic-avoiding places where I've had pounding/racing heartbeats at...I stopped driving or going anywhere outside of the home for about 8-9 months. My life was completely on hold/stopped...My husband worked a full-time labor job, did the food shopping, cooked, cleaned. I was just another body in the house, I felt horrible to say the least...
Something inside me clicked and said, wait a minute I'm 23 what is wrong with me!! So I tried to do small things like go to the Post Office and come home. We had to drive to our mailbox at that time, so I drove to check the mail and came home. I tried a once to go to Walmart to get the groceries and had a meltdown there, but suprisingly I finished checking out and drove home. I didn't unload the groceries though, just the milk and eggs, lol. My hubby did it when he came home. But during that time of trying to get back out, places I freaked out at, I would eventually avoid-NO malls, large stores, definetly no Walmart and lastly I don't walk anywhere. My hubby drops me off at the door of whereever we go and sometimes picks me up. Because of the Tachycardia, I've come to also avoind anything that will raise my heartrate for fear I will die. Over the years I've led a very sedatary lifestyle...I avoided going out with friends or even having close friends. Though I'm very content being to myself and just having my husband around. It's not normal by a long shot, but has worked for the years. I've seen 3 cardiologists when living in Arizona, btw all to say my results are normal, just a fast heartrate at times.
Recently, this passed Monday I've had a Chiropractor appointment to go to. I had to drop my husband off and work and then travel an additional 30 minutes to the office. I didn't want to go, I don't like driving far at all. During the ride to drop hubby off, my heart started racing and it was skipping beats this time. I COMPLETLY PANICKED. We got to his job and I called 911. I was so embarassed, because it was at his job with a firetruck and ambulance. It was my decision to ride to the hospital, my heart skipped the whole time and I was anxious the whole time. I was hooked up and monitored for 4 1/2 hours, I had blood work done to determine if my heart was abnormal. Everything came back fine. My heart skipped the whole time while being monitored and I was told I was experiencing something called PVC, palpitations and it was normal, but to follow up with my doc anyway. Because I was so nervous about being in the ER, he also gave me 15 days of Xanax. Before this episode, I saw my cardiologist and had an holter monitor done for 24 hours-normal and also an Echo (normal). So when I came to followed up with my cardiologist-but didn't want to see him because I wanted a second opinion...He reviewed my records, my pressure was up like 134 over something-not too bad, but I felt different. He scheduled a stress test today. My target heartrate to get up to was supposed to be 162-BUT because I avoid strenous activity, exercise, white-coat symdrome, OBSESSED with my heart. I panicked all nite before the exam and when in the exam room, I freaked out and was only able to stay on the treadmill for 3 minutes getting my rate only up to 140-not enough for an accurate reading unfortunately. But there again my pressure was up 140/90 (I think). I definetly felt off and have been feeling like this all day even after the appointment. They upped my dosage of Propranolol from 20mg twice a day to 20mg in the morning and 40mg at night.
I feel very anxious about all this and I'm almost positive that's why my pressure is up. I DON"T like upping my meds, but if I have to...
Symptoms of anxiety that I've found on this site that I couldn't find anyone else to understand but here - feeling off balance quite often (thats why I don't like walking/exercising/standing for long periods of time), weak legs at times, becoming too aware of my breathing patterns, lightheaded, always nervous, overwhelmed at times, cold hands/feet, hot flashes, etc...My hang up-I AM COMPLETELY OBESESSED WITH MY HEART!! I always feel like I'm going to die.
Thank you for reading all this. I'm just so happy to find a place to relate to others!!
My question is where do I go from here! I so overwhelmed and want to get better and I'm exhausted...Physically and mentally......